What is common between Charaideo, Dibrugarh, Sivasagar, South Salmara-Mankachar, and Golaghat in Assam? These districts are both flood- and drought-prone. This revelation is part of the District-Level Climate Risk Assessment for India: Mapping Flood and Drought Risks Using IPCC Framework, a report released by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati in collaboration with IIT Mandi and the Centre for Study of Science, Technology, and Policy (CSTEP), Bengaluru. The report was unveiled today.
“Several districts are experiencing both flood and drought risk. Of the top 50 districts with a high flood risk and the top 50 with a high drought risk, 11 districts are at dual risk of flood and drought. Districts facing this type of risk include Patna in Bihar; Alappuzha in Kerala; Kendrapara in Odisha; and Murshidabad, Nadia, and Uttar Dinajpur in West Bengal,” the report states.
Interestingly, Assam’s Barpeta district ranks second, after Alappuzha in Kerala, among districts with the highest flood risk. Among the 51 districts categorized under ‘Very High’ flood risk, 24 are in Assam, 14 in West Bengal, and the remainder are spread across Manipur, Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, Odisha, Uttarakhand, and Kerala. Meanwhile, more than 90% of districts in the ‘Very High’ drought risk category (83 out of 91) are located in Bihar, Assam, Jharkhand, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra.
Insights from Experts
Speaking during the report’s launch, Dr. Anita Gupta, Head of Scientific Divisions at the Department of Science and Technology (DST), remarked, “Climate change is one of the most formidable challenges of our time, impacting agriculture, livelihoods, and every aspect of life. No single entity can address this alone—it requires collective efforts and innovative frameworks. Through this report, we take a significant step towards identifying vulnerabilities, assessing sensitivity, and addressing challenges faced by local communities at risk.”
Dr. Gupta emphasized the need to translate these findings into actionable measures, ensuring that insights reach stakeholders at both the national and state levels. “This is just the beginning, as India moves forward with a balanced adaptation and mitigation strategy to achieve a cleaner, greener, and climate-resilient future. Together, we will fast-track our goals for a Viksit Bharat and Net Zero Bharat by 2047,” she said.
Prof. Devendra Jalihal, Director of IIT Guwahati, underlined the urgency of addressing climate challenges in an agrarian society like India, where the monsoon plays a pivotal role. “India’s agrarian society is deeply dependent on the monsoon, making the challenges posed by climate change, such as droughts and excessive rainfall, increasingly critical. This report, a collaboration between DST and SDC, provides a comprehensive risk assessment for over 600 districts, offering invaluable insights for effective mitigation strategies. I applaud IIT Guwahati, IIT Mandi, and CSTEP researchers for this significant contribution,” he said.
Dr. Anamika Barua, a researcher at IIT Guwahati, highlighted the novelty of the exercise. “This exercise is unique as it develops risk profiles for Indian states and districts using a common methodology based on the IPCC risk framework. Engaging state stakeholders not only built their capacity but also made the process highly inclusive, going beyond a purely academic endeavor,” she said.
Dr. Barua further noted that projects like this enhance science communication, fostering better adaptation planning for climate challenges. The report also emphasizes the importance of capacity building at the state level. It recommends equipping climate change cells and allied departments with the necessary tools and methodologies to integrate risk assessments into their adaptation plans. Workshops and training sessions conducted as part of this study have fostered a knowledge-sharing network among state departments, academic institutions, and local stakeholders. The findings underscore the urgent need for coordinated efforts to address dual climate risks, particularly in vulnerable regions like Assam. By leveraging these insights, policymakers can take targeted steps to build resilience against the growing threats posed by climate change.